Etiquette Lifestyle Wiki
Etiquette 14nov.jpg Business-etiquette1.png Images (1).jpg Dining Etiquette Diagram.JPG Etiquette.png 'Etiquette Lifestyle '''speaks to acceptable norms that define how people should behave in social, official or professional life. Etiquette Lifestyle seeks to give an in-depth knowledge of rules governing etiquette in the workplace, invitations, table setting and dining. No one individual is entirely knowledgeable of a topic and additional information is always needed since there is more than one interpretation of a content. Feel free to share suggestions and comments about the topics. '''What is Etiquette?' Etiquette (pronounced, eti'ket) is the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Etiquette can also be defined as a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group. 'Types of Etiquette' 'Proper Dining Etiquette ' 'Basic Dining Etiquette' 1. Turn off or silence all electrical devices before entering a restaurant or before you sit down to eat. 2. If unsure which utensil to use, remember 'outside in'. 3. You can place your wrists or forearms on the table, or hands on your lap. 4. Keep legs next to your chair. 5. If you need to remove gristle, bone or an olive pit from your mouth, then remove it the way it had entered, (i.e. fork or fingers), and place it discreetly on your plate. 6. Avoid uncouth conduct. 7. Always say thank you when served something. 8. Do not let the food linger on the fork or spoon. 9. Avoid making negative comments about the food. 10. Replace your chair as you get up from the table. 11. Do not cut up all the food on your plate. 'Foods you can eat by hand:' 1. Bread: break slices of bread, rolls and muffins in half or into small pieces by hand before buttering. 2. Bacon: if there’s fat on it, eat it with a knife and fork. If it is crisp, crumble it with a fork and eat with your fingers. 3. Finger meals: follow the cue of your host. If finger meals are offered on a platter, place them on your plate before putting them into your mouth. 4. Foods meant to be eaten by hand: corn on the cob, spareribs, lobster, clams and oysters on the half shell, chicken wings and bones (in informal situations), sandwiches, certain fruits, olives, celery, dry cakes and cookies. Removing inedible items from your mouth: ''' 1. '''Olive pits: drop delicately into your palm before putting them onto your plate. 2. Chicken bone: use your fork to return it to the plate. 3. Fish bones: remove with your fingers. 4. Bigger pieces: bigger bones or food you don’t appreciate you should surreptitiously spit into your serviette (napkin), so that you can keep it out of sight. 'Visiting Etiquette' 1. Show up on time. If you tell your host that you’re going to come in on Wednesday morning, show up at that time. If you’re running late, make sure to call ahead and update your host on when you’ll be arriving. 2. Bring a gift. To show your appreciation for the free lodging, bring a gift. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive. Baked goods, flowers, bottles of wine, or unique gifts from your home state are always appreciated. 3. Keep your area neat. Before you leave each day, make sure to make the bed and straighten up your room. Put your dishes in the dishwasher after you use them. 'Etiquette in the Workplace ' How you present yourself to others in the business world speaks volumes. People often form first impressions about others within seconds of first meeting them therefore it is crucial to ensure you are properly prepared to present yourself as a professional. Here are some important tips towards making a good impression. ◾Stand straight, make eye contact, turn towards people when they are speaking, and genuinely smile at people. ◾Follow your office dress code, perhaps dressing a step above the norm for your office. ◾Your briefcase or bag and the things you carry in them say something about you. Messy items may detract from the image you would like to present. ◾When meeting someone for the first time, be sure to shake hands palm to palm with a gentle firmness. ◾Be alert. Sleepiness looks bad in the workplace. ◾Kindness and courtesy count! ◾Arrive early to work each day. 'Communicating' It's sometimes not what you say, but how you say it that counts! ◾Return phone calls and emails within 24 hours - even if only to say that you will provide requested information at a later date. ◾Ask before putting someone on speakerphone. ◾Personalize your voice mail - there's nothing worse than just hearing a phone number on someone's voice mail and not knowing if you are leaving a message with the correct person. People may not even leave messages. ◾Emails at work should be grammatically correct and free of spelling errors. They should not be treated like personal email. ◾When emailing, use the subject box, and make sure it directly relates to what you are writing. This ensures ease in finding it later and a potentially faster response. ◾Never say in an email anything you wouldn't say to someone's face. ◾Underlining, italicizing, bolding, coloring, and changing font size can make a mild email message seem overly strong or aggressive. 'Work Space' You may spend more waking hours in work spaces than in your home space so: ◾Keep the space professional and neat with appropriate personal touches! People will see the space and consider it a reflection of you. ◾Whether it is a cubicle or office, respect others' space. Don't just walk in; knock or make your presence gently known. Don't assume acknowledgement of your presence is an invitation to sit down; wait until you are invited to do so. ◾Don't interrupt people on the phone, and don't try to communicate with them verbally or with sign language. You could damage an important phone call. ◾Limit personal calls, especially if you work in a space that lacks a door. ◾Learn when and where it is appropriate to use your cell phone in your office. ◾Food consumption should generally be regulated. Smells and noise from food can be distracting to others trying to work. Vigilantly observe the corporate culture in which you work, and be aware that change will happen. Your eyes and ears are your best resource in this learning process! 'Table Setting' Table setting (laying a table) or place setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and dishes for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting. The practice of dictating the precise arrangement of tableware has varied across cultures and historical periods. 'Informal Table Setting' At an informal setting, fewer utensils are used and serving dishes are placed on the table. Sometimes the cup and saucer are placed on the right side of the spoon, about four inches from the edge of the table. Often, in less formal settings, the napkin should be in the wine glass. 'Formal Table Setting' Utensils are placed about an inch from the edge of the table, with all placed either upon the same invisible baseline or upon the same invisible median line. Utensils in the outermost position are used first (for example, a soup spoon and a salad fork, then the dinner fork and the dinner knife). The blades of the knives are turned toward the plate. Glasses are placed an inch or so above the knives, also in the order of use: white wine, red wine, dessert wine, and water tumbler.